NC teen hurt in crash on I-65 in Bartholomew County

A North Carolina teen was seriously hurt in a Tuesday morning crash on I-65 in Bartholomew County. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the Indiana State Police Post in Versailles, says that shortly after 9:30 am, troopers responded to a single vehicle crash on the interstate near the northbound 58 mile marker. He says that a 15-year-old passenger in the vehicle was seriously injured and transported to an Indianapolis hospital.

The initial investigation by Trp. Seth Davidson indicated that a box truck being driven by 55-year-old Chue Xiong, of Claremont, North Carolina, was traveling northbound on I-65 when, for an unknown reason, Xiongs vehicle ran off the right side of the road. State Police say that evidence indicates that Xiong overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll onto its passenger side before sliding into the median of I-65. During the collision, the load of cut bamboo that Xiong was hauling was released from the truck into the median of I-65.

Sgt. Wheeles says that Xiong sustained minor scrapes. He was treated at the scene. His passenger, Kong Pheng Xiong, of Hickory, North Carolina, was treated at the scene before being flown to Riley Childrens Hospital.

ISP says that it is believed that Chue Xiong is the uncle of Kong Xiong.

Wheeles says the Bartholomew County Health Department responded to the scene and determined that the load of bamboo shoots needed to be destroyed. The load was heading from North Carolina to Minnesota.

Crews were on scene for nearly five hours for crash investigation and cleanup. The investigation is ongoing, but neither drugs nor alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash.